minestrone - good and easy

I guarantee this soup!  It's delicious, and takes only about an hour. I adapted it from this cookbook:

Chop:

1 onion
2 garlic cloves
2 carrots
2 celery stalks

and saute in sufficient amount of olive oil for 5 minutes.  Then add:

2 qts. water
1 Knorr chicken (or veg.) cube
2 potatoes, peeled and diced
1 clove *
1 can beans, drained and rinsed  (cannellini or other)
1 box frozen spinach, or half bag frozen, or big handful of fresh, or collards, etc. (if you use kale, cook an extra 15 mins.)
1 tsp parsley
1 tsp. basil
5 tsp. tomato paste, or 8 oz. can tomato sauce, or half cup of spaghetti sauce, or 5 fresh or canned tomatoes, chopped up

Bring to a boil, and simmer, covered, 15 minutes.

Add half cup of small pasta - elbows, shells, ditalini  - whatever,
and boil a bit more briskly another 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add 1 tsp. salt, and serve.  If you're going to use Parmesan on it, omit the salt.


* Don't leave out the clove - it really makes a difference.  But yes, someone will end up eating it!